DISTRICT PREVIEW! Boys' 1-5A

 

NC'S BRAYLIN DEMARS & SHREVE'S MARQUEZ STEVENSON BATTLE AT REGION 1-5A MEET

 The District 1-5A meet will be held on Thursday at Benton High School. Here is a look at some storylines in the boys division heading into the district meet.

No. 1- Stevenson vs. Demars epic battles in the 400m!

    Last year, there was only one other sprinter in Class 5A who could hang with Captain Shreve's Marquez  Stevenson and Natchitoches Central's Braylin Demars. That was was Zachary's Chris Hilton, who ended up winning the 5A title with a time of 47.58.

    Stevenson and Demars grew up together in Natchitoches racing each other first on playgrounds, and then tracks on Natchitoches's summer track program.

    "Macho" won the District 1-5A title last year as a sophomore running a 48.25 at Lee Hedges Stadium. Demars was second (48.74). One week later, Demars, runnning in front of friends and family at the Region I meet at Northwestern State University, got the best of Stevenson. Demars ran a 47.67 to Stevenson's 47.74.

    At state, Demars was ahead of Stevenson again, running  a 47.52. Stevenson finished third with a 48.57. 

    Judging from best times turned in this year, it appears Stevenson is a step ahead of Demars. Stevenson has a best time of 48.22. Demars best time in the 400 this year is 49.70.

     The rivalry could extend to the 200 meters this year where both runners are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in District 1-5A. Like the 400, Stevenson has a faster time than Demars in the 200. His best time this year is 21.51. Demars best 200 is 22.17. 

No. 2 -Will anyone break 2:00 in the 800m?

   Haughton's Kenneth Smith has the fastest time in the district this season. He came oh so close at the Beakat Relays, running 2:00.27. But, if Smith runs the 1600 at the beginning of the meet, or even on Haughton's 4x800, It's doubtful he would have enough in the tank to be able to break the 2:00 mark.

   Byrd's Elliott Cochran has been fighting all year to reach go to sub 2:00 in the 800m. Will the weather on Thursday be favorable to help him get there. The  early forecast has temperatures in the high 80s and partly cloudy.

    What about the distance runners, who are attempting to triple and score some points in the 800m? Trent Wells has tripled in the past, but it's doubtful he would triple as he is returning from injuries early in the season. That leaves Benton's Mason Haley and Parkway's Gabe Falting. It's hard to speculate at this point, but both are quite capable.

    As mentioned with Smith, it would be doubtful that Haley and Falting would be able to run a sub 2:00 800m after running a mile--or in 4x800--early in the meet.

No. 3 - Will Airline score 36 points in the hurdles?

     It certainly looks like that will be the case as the Viking's Kye Lehr and Jeremiah Boudreaux are No. 1 and No. 2 in both the 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles. Not only that, but both Lehr, who is a junior, and Boudreaux, who is sophomore, is going to make it tough for any team in District 1-5A from scoring any significant points in next year's District 1-5A meet.

No. 4 - NC's Sowell has jumps sewed up?

       If Natchitoches Sowell's Demarion Sowell has a day like he did at the Taussig Relays, he should be the District 1-5A Champion in both the long jump and the triple jump. His 21-11 is seven inches better than Haughton's Amryon Lars. 

     In the triple jump, Sowell is in a class by himself. The next closest competitior to his best jump of 46-4 is Byrd's Xavier Anderson, who has a best of 43-9.

No. 5- Parkway and Benton battle it out in the throws

     Based on rankings, Benton, thanks to District 1-5A discus leader Davis Sellers, should score 25 points in the throwing events. If all goes according to plan for Parkway, the Panthers will come away with 22 points in the throws.

No. 6 - Newcomer(s) of the Year!

     There will be no award passed out for Newcomer of the Year in Distict 1-5A, but if there was such a thing, it would go to Parkway's freshman Devon Oliver. Oliver is ranked second behind Sellers in the discus with a best throw of 140-10. In the shot put, Oliver is ranked third with a best of 45-6.

      He is not the only freshman in District 1-5A who is in position to score some points for his team in the district championship. Oliver's teammate Andrew Kent is ranked No. 4 in the 3200 (10:17.96). Kent is also ranked No. 10 in the 1600 (4:53.80)

     Haughton's freshman hurdler  John Brown is in a position where he could score some points for the Bucs in the 110 hurdles. Brown's best time this year is 17.49. That ranks him No. 5 in District 1-5A.